PM distributes 'Ekushey Padak-2022' today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over the "Ekushey Padak 2022" among 24 eminent persons at a programme at Osmani Memorial Auditorium today on the occasion of the Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day. The premier will hand over the Ekushey Padak, the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in the city at 10am.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate messages on the occasion of awarding the Ekushey Padak. In the separate messages on the eve of the occasion, both the President and the Prime Minister wished success of the event.

The nation is set to observe the "Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day" on February 21 to pay glowing tributes to the Language Movement martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the cause of the mother language on this day in 1952.

On February 3, the government announced the names of 24 eminent persons for the "Ekushey Padak 2022" for their outstanding contributions to respective fields.

This year, two persons got the award in the Language Movement category, four in the Liberation War, seven in Shilpakala (art, music and dance), two in Social Service, two in Language and Literature, four in Research and one each in journalism, Science and Technology, and education.

Mostafa MA Matin (posthumous) and Mirza Tofazzal Hossain Mukul (posthumous) received the award in the field of Language Movement. Valiant freedom fighter Alhaj Principal Md Matiur Rahman, Syed Moazzem Ali (posthumous), QABM Rahman and Amzad Ali Khandaker got the award in Liberation War category.

Jinat Barkatullah received the padak for dance, Nazrul Islam Babu (posthumous), Iqbal Ahmed and Mahmudur Rahman Benu for music, Khaled Mahmud Khan (posthumous), Afzal Hossain and Masum Aziz for acting. MA Malek got the award for journalism while Md Anawar Hossain in science and technology and Professor Dr Gautam Buddha Das got in education.

SM Abraham Lincoln and Sangharaj Dr Gyanshree Mahathero got the award in the social service category. Poet Kamal Chowdhury and Jharna Das Purkayastha received the award in language and literature category.

Dr Md Abdus Sattar Mandal, Dr Md Enamul Haque (team leader), Dr Shahanaz Sultana (team) and Dr Jannatul Ferdous (team) got the award in research category.

President M Abdul Hamid in his message said the great language movement is an unforgettable event in the national history and the seed of Bangladesh's independence was sown through the language movement.

He recalled that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the All Party Council for Struggle on State Language formed in 1948 to demand mother tongue.

He paid deep respect to the memory of the immortal martyrs of the country's long struggle for independence, including the great language movement of February 21, 1952. "The United Nations has declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day and our mother language day is now become a festival of honoring mother languages of all," he added.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid her deep respect to the memory of all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect and uphold the dignity of the mother language 'Bangla' on February 21, 1952.

With utmost respect, the premier remembered the entire language movement veterans, including the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the fight for the dignity of the Bengali language.

As the martyrs of Ekushey are the illustrious sons of the nation, the recipients of the prestigious Ekushey padak in different categories are also pride of the nation, she said, adding that award-prize inspires people in their way of life although these personalities do not work for such award or prize.

In the past a few number of people were given prestigious Ekushey Padak, the Awami League government has increased the number of recipients and amounts of the award, she said, adding that the amount was increased to Tk 4.00 lakh and the number of recipient to 21 in 2020. In 2022 the government has nominated 24 personalities for this esteemed award, the premier added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has made tremendous development in all socio-economic sectors in the last 13 years and now Bangladesh is a development role model in the world.

The government has turned Bangladesh a digital and middle income one through implementing first perspective plan, she said, adding that now 20-year second perspective plan is being implemented. "In Sha Allah, we will soon be able to build a developed-prosperous and self-respected 'Golden Bengal' as dreamt by Father of the Nation," the premier added.